1996 BUICK CENTURY warning

How to Use This Manual
Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning
to end when they first receive their new vehicle.
If
you do this, it will help you learn about the features
and controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you’ll
find that pictures and words work together to explain
things quickly.
Index
A good place to look for what you need is the Index in
the back of the manual. It’s an alphabetical list
of all
that’s in the manual, and the page number where you’ll
find
it.
Safety Warnings and Symbols
You will find a number of safety cautions in this book.
We use a box and the word
CAUTION to tell you
about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore
the warning.
I A CAUTION:
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then
we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the
hazard. Please read these cautions. If you don’t, you or
others could be hurt.
You will also find a circle
~ with a slash through it in
this book. This safety
symbol means “Don’t,’’
“Don’t
do this,” or “Don’t
let this happen.”
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Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this book you will find these notices:
I NOTICE:
These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
not be covered by your warranty, and it could be
costly.
But the notice will tell you what to do to help
avoid
the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might
see
CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different
colors
or in different words.
You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use
the same words,
CAUTION or NOTICE.
In the notice area, we tell you about something that can
damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage would
ix
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Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
ACID COULD BATTERY
CAUSE
BURNS
SPARK
OR ,111,
COULD FLAME
EXPLODE BATTERY
These symbols
are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
POWER
WINDOW
These symbols have
to do with
your lights:
SIGNALS e e3
TURN
RUNNING
* ' 0
DAYTIME - a
LAMPS '
FOG LAMPS # 0
These symbols
are on some of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER
VENTILATING FAN
These symbols are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
COOLANT
TEMP
-
CHARGING I-1
BATTERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(a)
COOLANT a
ENGINE OIL w,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
(@)
BRAKES
Here are some
other
symbols
you may see:
FUSE
P
LIGHTER
HORN
SPEAKER FUEL
p3
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Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts
properly. It also tells you some things you should not do
with safety belts.
And it explains the Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS),
or air bag system.
Don’t let anyone ride where he or she can’t wear
a safety belt properly.
If you are in a crash and
you’re not wearing
a safety belt, your injuries
can be much worse.
You can hit things inside the
vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously
injured or killed. In the same crash, you might
not be if you are buckled up. Always fasten your
safety belt, and check that your passengers’ belts
are fastened properly too.
Your car has a light that
comes on as a reminder
to buckle up. (See “Safety
Belt Warning Light” in
the Index
.)
In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to
wear safety belts. Here’s why:
They work.
You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have a
crash, you don’t know
if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up a person wouldn’t survive.
But most crashes are
in between. In many of them,
people who buckle up can survive and sometimes
walk away. Without belts they could have been badly
hurt or killed.
After more than
25 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter
.. . a lot!
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Safety Belt Extender
If the vehicle’s safety belt will fasten around you, you
should
use it. The front seat lap-shoulder belts have
plenty of extra length built in,
so they will fit almost
all people.
But if a safety belt isn’t long enough to fasten, your
dealer will order you an extender. It’s free. When you go
in to order it, take the heaviest coat you will wear,
so the
extender will be long enough for you. The extender will
be just for you, and just for the seat in your vehicle that
you choose. Don’t let someone else use it, and use it
only for the seat it is made to fit. To wear it, just attach it
to the regular safety belt.
Checking Your Restraint Systems
Now and then, make sure the safety belt warning light
and all your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors and
anchorages are working properly. Look for any other
loose or damaged safety belt system parts. If
you see
anything that might keep a safety belt system from
doing its job, have it repaired.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect you in a
crash. They can rip apart under impact forces. If a belt is
torn or frayed, get a new one right away.
Also look for any opened or broken air bag covers, and
have them repaired or replaced. (The air bag system
does not need regular maintenance.)
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After
a Crash
If you’ve had a crash, do you need new belts?
After a very minor collision, nothing may be necessary.
But if the belts were stretched, as they would be if worn
during a more severe crash, then you need new belts.
If belts are cut or damaged, replace them. Collision
damage also may mean you will need to have safety belt
or seat parts repaired or replaced. New parts and repairs
may be necessary even
if the belt wasn’t being used at
the time of the collision.
If an air bag inflates, you’ll need to replace air bag
system parts. See the part on the air bag system earlier
in
this section.
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Here you can learn about the many standard and
optional features on your Buick, and information
on
starting, shifting and braking. Also explained are the
instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if
everything
is working properly -- and what to do if you
have a problem.
*
Keys
I
A CAUTION:
Leaving young children in a vehicle with the
ignition key is dangerous for many reasons.
A child
or others could be badly injured or even killed.
They could operate power windows
or other
controls or even make the vehicle move. Don’t leave the keys in
a vehicle with young children.
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OFF (C): Unlocks the steering wheel, ignition, and
transaxle, but does not send electrical power
to any
accessories. Use this position if your vehicle must be
pushed
or towed, but never try to push-start your
vehicle.
A warning chime will sound if you open the
driver’s door when the ignition is off and the key is in
the ignition.
RUN (D): Position to which the switch returns after you
start your engine and release the switch. The switch
stays in the RUN position when the engine is running.
But even when the engine is not running, you can
use
RUN to operate your electrical power accessories, and
to display some instrument panel warning lights.
START (E): Starts the engine. When the engine starts,
release the key. The ignition switch will return
to RUN
for normal driving.
NOTICE:
If your key seems stuck in LOCK and you can’t
turn it, be sure it is all the way in.
If it is, then
turn the steering wheel left and right while you
turn the key hard. But turn the key only with
your hand. Using a tool to force it could break
the key or the ignition switch.
If none of this
works, then your vehicle needs service.
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FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power
(but lower fuel economy) than
SECOND (2). You
can use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud.
If the selector lever is put in FIRST (I), the transaxle
won’t shift into first gear until the vehicle is going
slowly enough.
NOTICE:
If your front wheels can’t rotate, don’t try to
drive. This might happen if you were stuck in
very deep sand or mud or were up against a solid
object.
You could damage your transaxle.
Also,
if you stop when going uphill, don’t hold
your vehicle there with only the accelerator
pedal. This could overheat and damage the
transaxle. Use your brakes to hold your vehicle in
position on a hill.
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake,
hold the regular brake pedal
down with your right foot
and push down the parking
brake pedal with your left
.foot. If the ignition is on,
the.brake system warning
light will come on.
To release the parking
brake, hold the regular
brake pedal down. Pull the
brake release lever.
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